


for morale

by ElasticElla



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Consensual Infidelity, F/F, mentioned alec/magnus and alec&lydia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-02
Updated: 2016-03-02
Packaged: 2018-05-24 08:51:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6148195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElasticElla/pseuds/ElasticElla
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the record, regardless of what the gossips would say, Lydia <i>does</i> respect her husband.</p>
            </blockquote>





	for morale

**Author's Note:**

> written for the shadowhunters ficathon, [come play](http://ladygawain.livejournal.com/83265.html)

For the record, regardless of what the gossips would say, Lydia _does_ respect her husband. Alec is a rather respectable shadowhunter- recent downworlder dalliances aside- and she does appreciate how very straightforward their relationship has been thus far. (After calling him out on his what the heart wants line, it was rather simple to proceed without any rose-tinted glasses. Though, she does find it cute that he wanted to provide them for her. Chivalrous even.)

Which is why, when Isabelle keeps flirting with her, long after she could be trying to break the engagement, before she acts on anything, she goes to Alec. She's knocking before she's figured out the best way to word her request, and when a certain warlock opens the office door, Lydia knows the wording won't matter. It's funny how quickly Magnus Bane went from her list of top ten people she'd like to meet to top three extramarital lovers for her new husband. Not only can the warlock obviously keep her husband safe, they're bound to be discrete, and if anything were to ever come out, her reputation would be sustained. (She can hear the whispers already, _that poor Branwell girl, first widowed and then cheated on- she must live at her desk_ , and so on. She'd get the institute in the divorce, and really, that's all she'd want to keep.)

Isabelle… Isabelle isn't even close to a safe choice, Lydia knows this. Isabelle is a disaster waiting to go off and ruin her politically, but Lydia still finds herself intrigued. She's a year younger than her and Isabelle is already the best forensic pathologist in New York. Lydia's always had a weakness for competence, and if any other group of shadowhunters were trying to operate outside of the Clave, epic disasters would be wrought. Instead, there's an institute that's a little too friendly with downworlders but gets the job done. 

It's equally irritating and charming, which also happens to be how Lydia's begun to view Isabelle's advances. Her only saving grace is that Isabelle is dressing far more conservatively these days; Lydia wouldn't be able to handle the girl she's seen in pictures, scantily dressed and destroying demons as easy as breathing.

And ordinarily, Lydia would just immerse herself in more work, aim to up the institute's monthly efficiency rate by a few percentage points. She waited out her fair share of crushes when she was younger, knows most people don't stay curious about her for long. This time though, Lydia does need someone. (Well, want at the very least.)

While she doubts she'll become bitter or jealous of Alec's lover, the best way to ensure that is of course, to acquire her own. Then again, perhaps she's waited too long. A few months with a low reaction rate has been known to do in a few crushes, but Lydia isn't about to approach Isabelle first. (It's not because it's her sister-in-law, it's because Isabelle is one of her subordinates.)

And a few days after Lydia makes her decision, Isabelle is in lounging in her office, looking far too comfortable as she reads over her latest report. 

“We're having a small party tonight, very small, third floor, drinking, terrible karaoke, you should come.” 

“Okay.” 

“I know it's not-” Isabelle cuts herself off, a surprised smile lighting her face. “Really? I had a whole spiel of incentives planned.”

A startled laugh passes Lydia's lips, “Over the past two months the New York Institute has become the most efficient one in North America, and we're only a few percentage points behind the rest of the world. And parties- small, very small parties- help raise morale.” 

A familiar flirtatious grin is on Isabelle's face as she saunters over to Lydia's desk, leaning over it. “Oh yeah? And what else would you be willing to approve to help boost morale?” 

Lydia's been expecting, hoping for this, but it still takes her by surprise, still overwhelms her as she sucks in air between her teeth. “Plenty of things.” 

Victory shines in Isabelle's eyes, and Lydia briefly wonders if it looks the same to the demons she kills, and then Isabelle is kissing her, and she forgets how to think.


End file.
